Focus: GS-II Governance
Why in news?
- Lok Sabha Speaker said that if there is a provision for the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha, then it was only obvious that there should be one, but it was not the Speaker’s job to appoint one, and that the Deputy Speaker was chosen by the house.
- The position of the Deputy Speaker has been vacant for the over 15 months as of September 2020.
- The Rajya Sabha, meanwhile, has already commenced the procedure to elect the Deputy Chairman for the upper council.
Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha
- The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the vice-presiding officer of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India.
- They act as the presiding officer in case of leave or absence caused by death or illness of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- It is by Convention that position of Deputy Speaker is offered to opposition party in India.
- The Deputy Speaker is elected in the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the General elections for a term of 5 years from amongst the members of the Lok Sabha.
- They hold office until either they cease to be a member of the Lok Sabha or they resign.
- They can be removed from office by a resolution passed in the Lok Sabha by an effective majority of its members.
- Since the Deputy Speaker is accountable for the Lok Sabha, the elimination is done by the effective majority in Lok Sabha only.
Powers and Functions of Deputy Speaker
- In case of the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker presides over the sessions of the Lok Sabha and conducts the business in the house.
- He decides whether a bill is a money bill or a non-money bill.
- The Deputy Speaker while acting as the Speaker maintains discipline and decorum in the house and can punish a member for unruly behaviour by suspending him/her.
- They permit the moving of various kinds of motions and resolutions like the motion of no confidence, motion of adjournment, motion of censure and calling attention notice.
-Source: The Hindu
